Anti-Islam activist Tommy Robinson appointed as UKIP adviser

LONDON, ENGLAND - APRIL 01: Former English Defence League leader Tommy Robinson is escorted by police during a protest titled 'London march against terrorism' in response to the March 22 Westminster terror attack on April 1, 2017 in London, England. The march has been organised by far right groups English Defence League and Britain First, which also sees a counter-protest held by group 'Unite Against Fascism'. During the terror attack in Westminster, Khalid Masood killed 4 people as he drove a car into pedestrians over Westminster Bridge and stabbed PC Keith Palmer to death before being shot dead himself. (Photo by Chris J Ratcliffe/Getty Images)

Anti-Islam activist Tommy Robinson appointed as UKIP adviser

Source : CNN

London (CNN)The rightwing UK Independence Party has appointed the anti-Islam activist Tommy Robinson as an adviser, in a move that signals a further shift to the right.

Robinson, whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, will advise UKIP leader Gerard Batten on rape gangs and prison reform, the party announced.

Anti-Islam activist Tommy Robinson appointed as UKIP adviser

Former EDL leader Tommy Robinson is escorted by police during a protest titled ‘London march against terrorism’ in April 2018.

Under current UKIP rules, Robinson is ineligible for membership because of a party rule prohibiting anyone who has been a member of the EDL from joining. A decision over his application to join the party has been postponed until after March 29 — the day the UK leaves the European Union.

The decision was criticized by former UKIP leader Nigel Farage. “It goes against all the things I did as leader to say we will talk about immigration, we will talk about the extreme forms of Islam. But, we will do it as a non-racist, non-sectarian party,” he told the BBC. “This blows a hole in all of that.”

Robinson, 35, has become a figurehead for the far right in Britain, attracting thousands of followers both online and at protests.

In May, Robinson was was jailed for 13 months for contempt of court for live-streaming videos to Facebook from outside the trial of a grooming gang.

Farage said he would write to the party’s national executive committee to call for a vote of no-confidence in Batten’s leadership. “We can have one last go at getting rid of somebody who, as leader, is dragging us in a shameful direction,” he added.